The Prime Minister's demands for European treaty change and powers to flow
back from Brussels are ignored in a confidential EU blueprint to be
discussed at summit amid row over Jean-Claude Juncker

David Cameron’s hopes of reforming Britain’s relationship with Brussels have been dealt a blow after a confidential blueprint setting out the European Union's "priorities" for the next five years fell far short of his demands for change.

The document, obtained by The Telegraph will be given to the Prime Minister by Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, when they meet in Downing Street.

It comes as Mr Cameron prepares to force a vote on the possible presidency of Jean-Claude Juncker.

The Prime Minister has been attempting to block the appointment but is increasingly resigned to defeat.

The document being give to Mr Cameron by Mr Van Rompuy will further anger the Prime Minister ahead of a crucial Brussels summit where European leaders will discuss Mr Juncker’s appointment.

The four-page document fails to deliver any of the substantial reforms that Mr Cameron could sell to a sceptical British public in return for accepting Mr Juncker and holds out no prospect of even discussing EU Treaty change or abolishing the legal commitment to an "ever closer union".

It also fails to countenance Mr Cameron’s key demand for national parliaments to be given a veto over European legislation.

The document states: “The credibility of the Union depends on its ability to ensure that its institutions and members states follow up on decisions taken. They should produce tangible results and live up to their commitment to provide shelter to European citizens and to protect their rights, welfare and well-being.”

The most concrete reference to a British demand is a loose commitment to giving MPs more of say in EU decisions but it is a pledge that falls far short of Mr Cameron's call for groups of national parliaments to be given a veto over European legislation.

"A greater place should be given to national parliaments, including by strengthening their means of participating in the debate and making their voice heard in the decision-making process," the document said.

More positively for Mr Cameron, the paper appears to criticise the EU parliament for imposing Mr Juncker as commission president, on the basis that he was the spitzenkandidat or lead candidate of the European People's Party (EPP) that won most seats in elections across Europe last month.

"There is a need for efficient and legitimate European institutions. The complementary dual democratic legitimacy of the European Union through the directly elected European Parliament and the elected national governments in the Council needs to be fully respected," said the document.

"They ought to organise themselves accordingly. They have to work together, in full respect of the Treaties and of their respective roles. Their work should be guided by the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality."

Mr Van Rompuy is known to share the Prime Minister's opposition to allowing MEPs to nominate candidates for the EU top jobs, a view also privately shared by Angela Merkel and the inclusion of the warning to the EU assembly not to overstep its mark will stiffen Downing Street's resolve in the battle against Mr Juncker.

As the chairman of meetings of EU leaders, Mr Van Rompuy is hoping that the paper can defuse the row over the appointment of Mr Juncker when it is discussed at a summit dinner in Ypres on Thursday night.

George Osborne, the Chancellor, accused European leaders of saying one thing in private and another in public, describing it as an "odd phenomenon" where different messages were coming out of other national capitals.

"I think privately a lot of European governments understand that the institutions of Europe need reform, that they are under huge pressure from their domestic populations to deliver stronger economies, more investment to Europe, that Europe needs to better connect as a union to the people on this continent," he said.

"I think this is quite widely understood among the European governments. Whether that plays out in the European councils over the next few days, we will see."

The Government will be relieved at the inclusion of language insisting that its is "imperative not to create barriers between euro and non member states, while at the same time deepening the economic and monetary union" but disappointed at the failure to mention treaty change.

However, the Government will be concerned that the paper sets out proposals "towards an energy union" that will "look at ways of making full use of the EU's collective bargaining power", plans that would override sovereignty to negotiate gas or oil supply deals in the national interest.

Proposals to "reduce early school drop outs" and "actions to improve educational outcomes" will also be seen as the EU interfering in areas that are currently jealously guarded by national governments and ministers.

Additionally, Conservative backbenchers will be alarmed at proposals for greater "police and judicial cooperation" in a set of policy proposals that do not deliver Mr Cameron's strategy of "powers flowing away from Brussels, not always to it".

While the priorities, designed to the European Commission’s agenda until 2019, do highlight already existing promises to cut "unnecessary administrative burdens" and to implement "further improvement the quality of the EU decision making process" there is no mention of a new settlement between national governments and Brussels.

"It is the same old, same old basically," said a diplomat.

Mats Persson, the director of the Open Europe think tank, described the proposals as "under-whelming and unfocussed".

"It confusingly mixes actions that should be taken at EU level with those that principally belong to member states, such as reducing early school drop outs. It also glosses over some key areas such as EU treaty change," he said.

"This document needs to be improved significantly if it is to be a solid base upon which to decide EU priorities over next few years."

Nigel Farage, the leader of Ukip, said: "It's clear that EU leaders would rather humiliate Mr Cameron with their federalist wishlist and appointment of Juncker rather than kill him with kindness. He has been exposed as weak and inept - repatriation of powers to the UK is not going to happen."